Apparatus for installing manhole rings

ABSTRACT

An elongated rectangular frame supported on top of roadway pavement extends over an opening encompassing a manhole. The bottom of the frame is in face to face engagement with the top surface of a manhole ring, and depending from the frame is a plurality of J-hooks oriented to underlie and support the manhole ring coaxially above the annular support shoulder at the top of the manhole. A collapsible, drum-shaped, overlapping shield is expanded by a toggle mechanism into tight engagement with the inside wall of the manhole ring and the subjacent inner margin of the support shoulder, thereby affording a mold around which concrete is poured and allowed to set. The drum-shaped mold is thereafter contracted and withdrawn. Finally, the upwardly protruding portions of the J-hooks are disconnected from the frame and the embedded portions of the J-hooks, allowing the frame to be removed.

Farrell [451 Nov. 12, 1974 1 APPARATUS FOR INSTALLHNG MANHOLE RINGS [76] Inventor: Lewis E. Farrell, 10804 Ballentrae Way, Rancho Cordova, Calif. 95670 Filed: Sept. 25, 1972 Appl. No.: 291,989

US. Cl 249/1, 249/93, 249/179 Int. Cl EOZd 29/12 [58] Field of Search 249/1, 10, 83, 175, 177-178,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 1,237,986 6/1960 France 249/1 Primary Examiner-Robert D. Baldwin Assistant Examiner-John McQuade Attorney, Agent, or F irm-Lothrop & West [57] ABSTRACT An elongated rectangular frame supported on top of roadway pavement extends over an opening encompassing a manhole. The bottom of the frame is in face to face engagement with the top surface of a manhole ring, and depending from the frame is a plurality of J-hooks oriented to underlie and support the manhole ring coaxially above the annular support shoulder at the top of the manhole. A collapsible, drum-shaped. overlapping shield is expanded by a toggle mechanism into tight engagement with the inside wall of the manhole ring and the subjacent inner margin of the support shoulder, thereby affording a mold around which concrete is poured and allowed to set. The drumshaped mold is thereafter contracted and withdrawn. Finally, the upwardly protruding portions of the J hooks are disconnected from the frame and the embedded portions of the .l-hooks, allowing the frame to be removed;

4 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures UHUV 121974 PATENTE sum 2 or 3 APPARATUS FOR INSTALLING MANHOLE RINGS ing is placed at ground level. Then, with a closure plate temporarily covering the manhole opening, the customary subgrade is laid, followed by paving over the subgrade with asphaltic concrete, or the like. Since the subgrade. and the asphaltic concrete layers are laid down over and thereby cover the closure plate on top of the manhole, the exact location of the manhole is accurately noted before covering it over. Location is determined by bearings and direction from an above surface monument or by a fix established by cross-sighting from two or three nearby objects such as electroliers, telephone posts, etc.

After paving is completed, the precise location of the manhole is marked on the street and an opening on the order of three and one half to four feet in diameter is made above and around the manhole, the exact location of the manhole having been determined in the manner stated above and recorded on a map. After the manhole is disclosed, the closure plate is removed so that the manhole ring can be installed.

Frequently, a manhole ring is an iron casting having a central cylindrical portion, an upper flange, with a recess to receive amanhole cover, and a lower, somewhat larger, flange, often provided with a plurality of strengthening ribs.

The overall height of an average manhole ring is approximately 7% to 8 inches, or so. This is considerably less than the usual vertical overall thickness of the subgrade plus paving, which in many 'jobs might be 18 inches, or even more. Consequently, it has heretofore beennecessary to provide means for vertically positioning the manhole ring above the subjacent support shoulder so that the topof the installed ring is substantially flush with the top surface of the roadway.

Often, these expedients have assumed the shape of annular shims, or rings, termed grade rings interposed between the ring and the horizontal annular support shoulder encircling the manhole. To this, mortar was added, so as to stabilize the structure, followed by back filling the circumjacent annular opening with subgrade and paving material. In other cases, the manhole rings have been made in sections with the mating edges formedwith serrations or steps which .allow the overall height of the manhole ring to be adjusted, within limits, by effecting relative angular displacement between the sections. The foregoing expedients, and the numerous variations thereon appearing in the prior art, tend to be expensive either because of the very considerable labor costs involved or as a result of the complex nature of the castings which are required.

It is therefore an object of. the invention to provide an adjustable mold for installing manhole rings which are relativelyinexpensive since they not only allow .the

use of standard .manhole rings but also require but a small amount of relatively unskilled labor to make an accurate, strong and durable installation.

It is another object of the invention to provide a device for installing manhole rings which is relatively compact in size, lightin weight, and inexpensive to make, yet is capable of handling manhole rings of several different kinds, sizes and shapes.

It is a further object of the invention to provide an apparatus for installing manhole rings which can expeditiously be performed by only two people and without the need for tools of any kind.

It is still a further object of the invention to provide 7 apparatus for installing manhole rings which make unnecessary the careful laying of grade rings, including the preparation of mortar and the hand labor involved in backfilling with dirt, subgrade and paving material.

It is an additional object of the invention to provide a generally improved manhole ring installing apparatus.

Other objects, together with the foregoing, are attained in the embodiment described in the following description and illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary front isometric view, with portions in section, showing a typical barrel and cone type vault with a circular manhole defined by a horizontal annular support shoulder at. ground level, with an encompassing circular opening in the superposed subgrade and paving, and, located at a distance above the pavement, a manhole ring supported by J-hooks from the ring suspension and leveling frame of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view, to a somewhat enlarged scale, the section of the frame andthe ring being taken on the compound line 2 2 of FIG. 1, the the section of the manhole, subgrade and paving being taken on a vertical diametral plane through the manhole; I

FIG. 3 is a perspective view, to a greatly enlarged scale of a preferred form of separable J-hook;

FIG. 4 is a front isometric view, to an enlarged scale, of the collapsible, drum-shaped mold, with portions nism;

FIG. 5 is a top plan view of the cylindrical mold and toggle of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a view comparable to FIG. 2, but with the drum-shaped mold clamped in place and with the concrete poured in the chamber between the ring and the mold on the inner margin and the encompassing walls of the pavement opening on the outer margin; and,

FIG. 7 is a view comparable to FIG. 6, but with the concrete set, the frameremoved and the upper stem ends of the J-bolts removed so as to leave the lower portions remaining in the cast concrete.

While the manhole ring installing device of the invention is susceptible of numerous physical embodiments, and the method is capable of being performed in several ways, depending upon the environment and requirements of use, substantial numbers of the'herein shown and described embodiment have been made, sold, tested and used, in accordance with the method disclosed, and in all cases have performed inan eminently satisfactory manner.

The manhole ring installing device of the invention,

generally designated by the reference numeral 12 inbroken away to disclose the overcenter toggle mecha- 3 cludes an elongated rectangular frame 13 having a pair of spaced, parallel rails l4 carrying at each end a transverse, lift bar 15 which, like the rails, are of hollow, square, channel stock. The rails 14 are capable of spanning and extending a few feet over the top surface of the pavement on each side of a generally circular opening 16 formedin the lower subgrade layer 17 and the upper paved layer 18 of the pavement surface 19 covering the ground 20. An opposed pair of support blocks 21 centrally located on the rails accommodates rings of smaller size. 7

The opening 16 is located above and around the horizontal annular support shoulder 23 defining the central circular manhole 24 at the upper end of the cast concrete cone 26 mounted on top of a cylindrical cast concrete barrel 27 providing a vault-like structure 28 buried in the ground with the support shoulder 23 substantially at ground level 29.

The outer circumference 31 of the generally circular, or, more properly, cylindrical opening 16, in the pavement, is larger in diameter than the outer periphery 32 of the horizontal support shoulder 23, the two circular margins 31 and 32 defining a horizontal annular band 33 at ground level 29.

In order to locate the manhole ring 36 in the proper coaxial relation with and elevation above the manhole 24 and the encircling support shoulder 23, a plurality of depending J-hooks 41 is detachably mounted on the frame rails 14 in supporting relation with respect to the circular manhole 24, the J-hooks being located in corresponding vertical holes 42in the frame rails 14. If desired, a plurality of spaced holes in each rail can be provided so as to accommodate manhole rings of various sizes and configurations.

As appears most clearly in FIG. 1', a typical manhole ring 36, usually of cast iron or steel includes a central cylindrical portion 43 surmounted by an upper flange 44 provided with a recess 46 to receive the customary manhole cover 47 (see FIG. 7). At the bottom end of the cylindrical portion 43 is a lower flange 48, somewhat larger in diameter than the upper flange 44, and often having formed therein a plurality of anchor holes 49 and being provided with triangular stiffening ribs or gussets 51 extending between the cylindrical portion 43 and the lower flange 48,

The J-hook 41,'as appears most clearly in FIG. 3, preferably includes an upper threaded stem 54 with large handle 56 mounted transversely on the upper end thereof, thereby affording a very strong moment arm when it becomes necessary to unscrew the stem 54 from the permanently embedded hexagonal nut 57, or coupling, threadably engaging the lower end 58 of the threaded stem 54. The coupling 57 also engages the upper end 59 of the J,-bolt 61. The J-bolt 61 not only includes an upper threaded portion 62 and a lower shank portion 63, but also a transversely directed supporting foot 64 which, when oriented radially inwardly underneath the lower flange 48 of the manhole ring 36, serves to suspend the manhole ring 36 from the frame 13.

A wing nut 68, or butterfly nut on the upper threaded stem 54 together with the coupling nut 57 permits of relative vertical movement and adjustment between the frame channels, and the manhole ring in a considerable range of ring dimensions. in order to clamp the manhole ring 36 to the support frame 13, the upper threaded stems 54 of four .l-hooks 41 are inserted downwardly through the corresponding four holes 42 in the frame rails 14, with the flat base of each of the butterfly nuts 68 supported on the top surface of the rails at a location such that the lower end portion 58 of the threaded stem protrudes below the lower surface of the rails 14. The rails are thereupon centered over the top of the manhole ring 36 so that the downwardly protruding lower end portions 58 of the four J- hooks 41 are equally spaced from the peripheral edge of the upper flange 44. The four lower, or J-bar, portions 61 of the J-hooks, with the couplings 57 threaded thereon, are then accurately "positioned so as to register with the lower end portions 58 depending from the rails. The lower end portions 58 of the upper threaded stems 54 and the corresponding upper end portions 59 of the lower threaded stems 62 are thereupon joined together by suitable rotation of the hexagonal coupling 57 followed by rotation of the wing nuts 68. As tightening of the wing nuts proceeds, the lower, transverse supporting feet 64 are oriented so that they underlie the lower surface of the lower flange 48 and, if desired,

the ends 65 of the supporting feet can be inserted from below into the lower flange holes 49 for even greater security.

After all of the J-hooks 41 are tightened, so that the manhole ring 36 is firmly clamped to the bottom of the frame 13, the frame is placed over the pavement openingl6 encompassing the manhole 24 and the annular support shoulder 23. The frame is located so that the manhole ring 36 is coaxial relative to the manhole 24, the frame then being lowered so that the bottom surface of the frame rails 14 rests on the top surface 19 of the pavement as appears in FIG. 2. Thus the upper sur face of the manhole ring 36 is coplanar with the pavement surface 19 so that at the conclusion of the installation, the top of the manhole ring 36 and the manhole cover 47 will be flush with the pavement 19.

After centering the manhole ring 36 over the manhole 24, a generally cylindrical shield 71, or mold, is inserted coaxially downwardly through the central cylindrical portion 43 of the manhole ring and through the manhole 24 itself into the position shown most clearly in FIG. 6. A pair of handles 69 on the inner walls of the mold 71 facilitate placement of the mold. The upper end 72 of the cylindrical mold, when in operative position, extends somewhat above the top of the frame and the lower end 73 of the mold projects downwardly several inches below the inner margin 74 of the support shoulder 23. A pair of laterally projecting ledges on the mold serve as limit stops as the ledges come into interference with the subjacent top surface of the manhole ring recess 46.

The mode 71 is fabricated of resilient material, such as a sheet, or thin plate, of metal rolled into cylindrical configuration. The generally cylindrical mold is slit from end to end along an element and is overlapped somewhat, as appears most clearly in FIGS. 4 and 5.

The outer portion of the overlap 75 can be beveled,

or scarfed, if desired, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, to en-- hance the cylindrical nature of the mold. The overlap 75 allows the mold toexpand and contract under the urgency of an over-center toggle mechanism 76 comprising a handle 77 attached to a vertical shaft 78 journaled in a vertically spaced pair of brackets 79 mounted on a corresponding. pair of C-shaped-insection channels 81 arcuately curved and welded to the inner walls of the cylindrical mold. The channels are continuous except for a short interruption 82 adjacent the inner end of the overlap 75, as appears in FIGS. 4 and 5.

The upper and lower ends of the vertical actuating shaft 78 have mounted thereon a pair of crank arms 83 pivotally connected to one end of a correpsonding pair of elbow-shaped toggle levers 84, the other end of the toggle levers 64 being pivotally connected by pivot pins 85 to a pair of ears 86 mounted on the respective pair of channels 81.

The toggle mechanism 76 in center position assumes the parts relationshipshown in full line in FIGS. 4 and 5. When the handle 77 is moved toward the left-hand position shownin broken line and indicated by reference numeral "77a in FIG. 5, the toggle levers 84 are displaced longitudinally toward the left (the levers 84 not being shown in this left hand position, in the interests of clarity), and are inclined somewhat radially inwardly, thereby biasing the pivot pins 85, the ears 86 and the adjacent quadrantsof the channels 81 radially inwardly and toward the left and away from the outer portion of the overlap 75. As a result, the effective radius and circumference of the mold are contracted, allowing the mold readily to be inserted into position within the manhole and within the manhole ring.

Then, with the limit stop tabs 70 in abutment with the shoulder of the manhole cover recess 46, as in FIG. 6, the handle 77 is urged in a counterclockwise direction from position 77a (see FIG. 5) through the center position, shown in full line, to the position shown in broken line and indicated by reference numeral 77b, in which location the toggle lever assumes an orientation substantially as shown in broken line in FIG. 5 and identified by numeral 84b. In this position, the walls of the mold have been expanded and the inner and outer faces of the overlapped portion 75 are in tight engagement, ready for the annular concrete neck 87 to be poured.

As appears most clearly in FIG. 6, with the mold fully expanded, there is not only a tight face to face seal between the mold and the encircling inner walls of the central cylindrical portion 43 of the manhole ring 36, but there is also a tight sealing engagement between the mold and the surrounding circular margin 76 of the manhole 24L Thus, the mold 71 provides an inner shield for the generally annular chamber 83 defined on its inner periphery by the outer walls of the manhole ring 36 and the subjacent barrier wall portions 89 of the mold and on its outer periphery by the outer circumference 31 of the generally circular opening 116 in the pavement and the subgrade.

After the concrete is poured in the annular chamber 88, as appears in FIG. 6, so as to form the neck 67, the top of which is flush with the pavement 19, the concrete is allowed to set. Setting speed is frequently accelerated by the use of suitable additives to the concrete mix.

After an appropriate period the collapsible mold is reduced in diameter by moving the toggle handle 77 from expanded position 77b to contracted position 77a (see FIG. 5) thereby contracting the mold and allowing it readily to be withdrawn from the manhole and the manhole ring for washing and re-use.

Thereafter, the transverse handles 56 on the four J- hooks ll are rotated in a counterclockwise direction so as to separate and remove the upper threaded stem 54 from the coupling 57 which remains connected to the threaded portion 62 of the J-bolt 61.

After the upper threaded stems 54 are removed, the two parallel frame rails 14 can be lifted and placed to one side for re-use. The resultant installation is shown in finished condition in FIG. 7, with the hardened concrete neck 87 firmly supporting the manhole ring in axial alignment with the manhole and at the precise location desired so that when the manhole cover 47 is placed in the recess 46, the manhole cover 47 is accurately lodged in proper position relative to the adjacent surface of the pavement 19.

It can therefore by seen that I have provided an apparatus and a method forinstalling a manhole ring which are not only economical and easy to use, but which are also quick and accurate.

What is claimed is:

1. A device for installing a manhole ring coaxially with and above the annular support shoulder of a manhole located at the bottom of an opening extending below the surface of an encompassing layer of paving, said devicecomprising:

a. an elongated frame capable of spanning the opening when supported on the paving surface;

b. depending means removably attached to said frame for temporarily supporting the manhole ring above and in coaxial relation to the manhole sup port shoulder, said depending means including a plurality of J-shaped hooks each having a vertical stem supported at the upper end on said frame and v a generally transverse foot on the lower end, said J-hook being capable of being oriented so that said foot underlies and supports the manhole ring during deposition and setting of the concrete, said stem being separable into an upper portion and a lower portion, said upper portion being removable from said frame after setting of the concrete; and,

c. a collapsible, generally cylindrical shield capable of being expanded into temporary face to face engagement with the inner wall of the manhole ring and the subjacent inner margin of the support shoulder, said shield and said ring defining the inner wall of a generally annular chamber extending radially outwardly to the encompassing wall of paving material, said chamber extending vertically between the support shoulder and the plane of the paving surface, said depending means being detachable from said frame to permit the removal of said frame after concrete deposited in said chamber has set and said shield has been collapsed and separated from said frame.

2. A device as in claim I in which said elongated I frame includes a pair of parallel rails, and a frame lifting handle mounted on each end of said rails.

3. A device as in claim 1 in which said collapsible shield includes a drum fabricated of resilient material, said drum including a slit and an overlapping portion adjacent said slit, and an over-center toggle pivotally mounted at opposite ends to the inner walls of said drum on each side of said slit to urge said overlapping portion of said drum between a first,contracted position and a second, expanded position wherein the outer walls of said drum are in face to face engagement with the manhole ring and the subjacent inner margin of the support shoulder.

4. An apparatus for installing a manhole ring above a manhole located at the bottom of an opening in a layer of pavement, the manhole being defined by an annular support shoulder having an inner margin of the same diameter as the inner wall of the manhole ring, said apparatus comprising:

a. an elongated frame capable of spanning the opening and overlying the manhole ring when said frame is supported on the pavement surface, said frame including a pair of parallel rails the bottoms of which define the street pavement surface grade;

b. manhole ring supporting means detachably mounted on said frame and depending into engagement with the manhole ring for centering and vertically positioning the ring a predetermined distance above the annular support shoulder during the deposition and setting of concrete around the ring, said manhole ring supporting means being capable of clamping the ring firmly to the bottoms of said rails so that when the ring-encompassing concrete is deposited in the pavement opening and has set, the top of the manhole ring is atuomatically positioned at street grade, said manhole supporting means including a plurality of J -hooks each detachably mounted at its upper end to one of said rails and engageable at its lower end with the ring, each of said J-hooks having a coupling intermediate the ends to disengage said upper end of said J-hook from said lower end thereof as said rails are removed subsequent to the permanent installation of the manhole ring, and a pair of blocks mounted on the opposite inner sides of said rails and projecting toward each other on a transverse diameter of the manhole ring to afford an upper limit stop to manhole rings smaller in diameter than the distance between said inner sides of said rails; and,

. a collapsible shield expandable into substantially encompassing said shield. 

1. A device for installing a manhole ring coaxially with and above the annular support shoulder of a manhole located at the bottom of an opening extending below the surface of an encompassing layer of paving, said device comprising: a. an elongated frame capable of spanning the opening when supported on the paving surface; b. depending means removably attached to said frame for temporarily supporting the manhole ring above and in coaxial relation to the manhole support shoulder, said depending means including a plurality of J-shaped hooks each having a vertical stem supported at the upper end on said frame and a generally transverse foot on the lower end, said J-hook being capable of being oriented so that said foot underlies and supports the manhole riNg during deposition and setting of the concrete, said stem being separable into an upper portion and a lower portion, said upper portion being removable from said frame after setting of the concrete; and, c. a collapsible, generally cylindrical shield capable of being expanded into temporary face to face engagement with the inner wall of the manhole ring and the subjacent inner margin of the support shoulder, said shield and said ring defining the inner wall of a generally annular chamber extending radially outwardly to the encompassing wall of paving material, said chamber extending vertically between the support shoulder and the plane of the paving surface, said depending means being detachable from said frame to permit the removal of said frame after concrete deposited in said chamber has set and said shield has been collapsed and separated from said frame.
 2. A device as in claim 1 in which said elongated frame includes a pair of parallel rails, and a frame lifting handle mounted on each end of said rails.
 3. A device as in claim 1 in which said collapsible shield includes a drum fabricated of resilient material, said drum including a slit and an overlapping portion adjacent said slit, and an over-center toggle pivotally mounted at opposite ends to the inner walls of said drum on each side of said slit to urge said overlapping portion of said drum between a first, contracted position and a second, expanded position wherein the outer walls of said drum are in face to face engagement with the manhole ring and the subjacent inner margin of the support shoulder.
 4. An apparatus for installing a manhole ring above a manhole located at the bottom of an opening in a layer of pavement, the manhole being defined by an annular support shoulder having an inner margin of the same diameter as the inner wall of the manhole ring, said apparatus comprising: a. an elongated frame capable of spanning the opening and overlying the manhole ring when said frame is supported on the pavement surface, said frame including a pair of parallel rails the bottoms of which define the street pavement surface grade; b. manhole ring supporting means detachably mounted on said frame and depending into engagement with the manhole ring for centering and vertically positioning the ring a predetermined distance above the annular support shoulder during the deposition and setting of concrete around the ring, said manhole ring supporting means being capable of clamping the ring firmly to the bottoms of said rails so that when the ring-encompassing concrete is deposited in the pavement opening and has set, the top of the manhole ring is atuomatically positioned at street grade, said manhole supporting means including a plurality of J-hooks each detachably mounted at its upper end to one of said rails and engageable at its lower end with the ring, each of said J-hooks having a coupling intermediate the ends to disengage said upper end of said J-hook from said lower end thereof as said rails are removed subsequent to the permanent installation of the manhole ring, and a pair of blocks mounted on the opposite inner sides of said rails and projecting toward each other on a transverse diameter of the manhole ring to afford an upper limit stop to manhole rings smaller in diameter than the distance between said inner sides of said rails; and, c. a collapsible shield expandable into substantially cylindrical shape for engagement with the inner wall of the manhole ring and the subjacent inner margin of the annular support shoulder, said shield vertically spanning said predetermined distance to afford a barrier to the concrete deposited in the portion of the pavement opening encompassing the manhole ring and said shield and overlying the annular support member, said shield including laterally outwardly projecting ledges forming limit stops for the downward movement of said shield by engagement with the manhole ring top recess snugly encompassing said shield. 